https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYPMmKrwgPc
We have a bumper crop of videos this week! I thought things would get quiet as the weather has turned. Our first video this week (above) is from the City of Ottawa. It’s a great primer about minimum parking standards. I don’t recognize the neighborhoods mentioned but I certainly recognize the urban forms. Can you imagine if Portland’s City Council was spreading this message? That would be fantastic.
There were some interesting news clips this week. Unfortunately they aren’t embeddable, but worth watching. First, a study showed that people are texting and using the internet much more frequently while driving. Strangely, the example they use was different than simply using a smartphone. The second news clip is from Al Jazeera showing a Bay Area bike project and discussing the impact humans can have on climate change by shifting from driving to cycling.
Next, womens cycling is getting a WorldTour this coming year! The official series goes from 10 days of racing to 35 days of racing over the year. It’s a small step towards parity. This is an offical teaser from UCI.
This video shows Peter Sagan and Marco Fontana out mountain biking, including in some Italian town. It’s fun to see full suspension bikes in an urban environment. I’m surprised that road pros are allowed to do “risky” activities like this.
I didn’t get to this “Brumotti in Manila” video last week. It’s good, as must Brumotti videos are. Can any Portlanders bunny hop onto a dumpster on a road bike? So many great Brumotti vids this week: climbing up a steep rocky trail, on an Italian flying carpet(?), riding through a house, and riding across a ‘tightrope’.
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Speaking of trials riders, here’s motocross (and motorcycle trials) rider Patrick Smage showing some agility on a fatbike. It seems like a heavy bike (36lbs) to throw around like that, but it certainly weighs less than a motocross bike or moto trials bike.
I missed the first “riding behind the curtain” video, this one on Slovenia should be very good. I’ll feature the first one (and the full Slovenia one) after I have time to watch them.
This is a trailer for a documentary about downhiller Cameron Zink. Seeing his level of skill and recklessness is stunning and scary.
Honorable mentions this week: promotional crowdfunding video about national crit champion Denise Mueller, who is trying to set the land speed record (over 152mph!), how not to be a Fred: wearing bib shorts, bio of Jeff Frane, who started All-City Cycles for QBP. The origins of the name (and the bikes) is interesting. Listen through to the end for the very unique bike they are designing. Great mountain biking in Iceland, 15 year old Finn Iles getting into the adult downhill racing category, very short and funny video about Marcel Kittel joining Specialized, Danny MacAskill’s “Cascadia” (Gran Canaria trials) video UK taxi driver intentionally hitting a bicycle (Outrageous!), Svenness: 2015 Koksijde World Cup race the new Randall’s Island Connector in New York City, and Team Sky/Wahoo Fitness with a (supposedly) bike-powered holiday message.
Inclusion criteria: If I’ve missed something, post it in the comments! I prefer videos published in the last week or so. Note if there’s a specific point in a long video that is worth highlighting. Also note if there is colorful language. When it gets to spring, I will delay videos containing pro racing spoilers.
– Ted Timmons, @tedder42